Cobblestone Jazz - Put The Lime In Da Coconut

Cobblestone Jazz - Put The Lime In Da Coconut
Genius though he is, Mathew Jonson (plus Danuel Tate and Tyger Dhula) should never have made a record as good as 'Dump Truck' a year ago, because it’s going to end up being the yardstick against which all other CJ releases are measured. I personally didn't understand all the hype about 'India in Me', which paled in comparison, but live it was an awesome piece of improvisation. But I guess that’s to be expected – Cobblestone Jazz are a proper group playing proper instruments so their live sound is markedly different from their recorded output.

Their live band-ness is more evident in 'Saturday Night' than the title track. 'Saturday…’ is a great instruction manual on interfacing live performance and dance floor dynamics – it’s jazz, Jim, but not as we know it. There's also a clever use of depth, which provides you with the type of pleasure normally found by illegal means. A warm bass wraps you up in it's rumbling groove while disembodied voices combine with a fitful drum and plucked strings to keep you moving.

'Put the Lime in Da Coconut' (why would you want to do dat?) is more synthetic, and reminds me of early Jeff Mills/Robert Hood in all their 'Waveform Transmissions' pomp. Again the sinister voices add punch, but the staccato harmonics and the sense of insect decay add to a feeling of general wonkiness that isn't present in it's more straightforward, jazzier companion. This one is more than the sum of its parts, and it feels like techno coming full circle.

Even though much is made of Cobblestone Jazz's knack for improvisation, this doesn't come over on this record, both sides being very danceable, particularly the title track. There’s a lack of self-indulgence here – you feel they still have the interests of the discerning clubber at heart. It’s a peek at how things can be if you're willing to go out on a limb.